Water softening systems have long been used to soften water by removing magnesium, calcium and other metal cations from hard water. The softened water is typically more suitable than hard water for allowing soaps and detergents to efficiently clean. Furthermore, softened water causes far less lime scale build up within water pipes than hard water, allowing the water pipes to remain substantially free of such blockages so water can freely flow.
Water softening systems are often positioned near to where water enters a home, office, or industrial building from an external source, such as a well or municipal water distribution system, so that the water can be softened prior to its further distribution and use. Such systems typically comprise a water tank storing water softening media, a brine source for periodically regenerating the softening media, and a control system for switching between a service mode and a regeneration mode.
During service mode, water entering the water softening system is caused to pass through the water softening media within the water tank. The water softening media is typically an ion-exchange resin, to which sodium ions are connected. The ion-exchange resin serves to capture the magnesium, calcium and other metal cations from the incoming hard water and replace them with the sodium ions, thereby to soften the water. In time, as more and more softened water is produced, this ion exchange leads to a condition in which there is no longer an effective amount of sodium ions in the resin, such that further incoming hard water will not undergo softening. As such, the resin must be regenerated.
During regeneration, which is often done at night or during another period where demand on softened water is low, the control system of the water softening system exits service mode and enters regeneration mode. This typically involves producing salty brine by bringing water into contact with salt stored within a brine tank. The resin is then flushed with water in a backwash operation to remove impurities and impure water from the water tank, and then the produced brine is drawn into the water tank via a venturi nozzle. The brine then contacts the resin within the water tank to regenerate the resin. This involves the brine performing a regenerating ion-exchange with the resin, during which the calcium, magnesium and other metal cations that were affixed to the resin during service mode are separated from the resin and replaced with sodium from the brine. After this operation, the resin is rinsed to remove excess brine and the water softening system having regenerated the resin can re-enter service mode.
Other water treatment systems are available for use alone or in addition to a water softener for disinfecting water by removing bacteria or other organisms from the water before it is used. For example, it is known to bring ozone gas into contact with the water to be disinfected. Ozone gas can be very effective at killing waterborne organisms.
Ozone gas treatment systems may employ electric air pumps for injecting ozone gas into the water to be disinfected. Such ozone gas treatment systems are expensive and complex, and further require regular specialized servicing in order to continue to work effectively. Alternative systems employ water restricting devices to create suction in a line for suctioning ozone gas, using water pressure from an auxiliary water supply pump. However, problems with effective suction of ozone gas arise when the water supply pump cannot produce a suitable amount of water pressure to accordingly produce a suitable amount of suction. Additional complex devices are also installed on a water tank to remove excess ozone gas from the water.